Exploring the diverse values local people associate with Marine Protected Areas and the implications for sustainable ocean management

Marine protected area (MPA) management requires local people’s participation for ecological and social benefits. This is crucial to avoid “paper parks” by encouraging self-regulation and to enhance social well-being among stakeholders. However, it is challenging to promote sustained participation by diverse stakeholders since different people have different opinions on the benefits of MPAs. Some of these opinions are associated with specific occupations and value preferences. A place-based case study was conducted for the Yonarasuido Strait in the Yaeyama region, Japan, which is covered by two MPAs: a government-led top-down national park and a fishermen-led bottom-up spawning ground reserve. This study investigated local people’s value preferences from instrumental, intrinsic, and relational perspectives using the Q-methodology and semi-structured interviews. To understand broader interactions among diverse marine users, the study focused on both marine tourism and fisheries. The Q-method analysis identified three groupings based on the values people emphasize for the MPAs. Based on the analysis, these groups were defined as (1) “Original Goals First,” characterized by the emphasis on initial objectives and fisheries resource management; (2) “Disconnected Stewards,” who expect nature conservation while being emotionally detached from the MPAs; and (3) “Tourism vs. Fisheries,” reflecting considerable division between fisheries and marine tourism. The results suggest that understanding the value preferences of a diverse range of stakeholders through a comprehensive lens can provide a more holistic picture of MPA management and the areas of consensus and disagreement in the governance system. Based on the findings, three recommendations for future MPA management are proposed regarding adaptive management, information dissemination, and just stakeholder involvement.